The impact sent Estelle stumbling back a step, and she instinctively reached out to catch Christian.

"Christian, you... what did you just call me?"

The truth came so suddenly that she was caught completely off guard. For a moment, she couldn’t even react, as if an unbelievable blessing had just fallen from the sky, leaving her stunned with a joy that felt too good to be true.

There was no question that Estelle adored Christian.

And knowing that her eldest son hadn’t died in the fire, her feelings of elation and joy far outweighed any worry.

But... the moment she saw Christian, she still hadn’t known what to say. ’She hasn’t been there for him all these years. Will he even accept me as his mother?’

To her surprise, Christian had joyfully thrown himself into her arms!

"Mommy! I’m calling you Mommy!"

Christian sweetly nuzzled Estelle’s neck, his arms wrapped tightly around her. His eyes were sparkling as he said, "Mommy."

It took Estelle several seconds to process before she dazedly asked, "Christian, you knew all along?"

Just then, the pediatrician from earlier rushed over.

He remembered Miss Lockwood. The Zachery who started kindergarten and the Zachery who came for the physical exam were not the same person. He initially suspected the kindergarten had made a mistake and had specifically gone to inquire about it.

But the kindergarten replied that there was no mistake; the child who enrolled had indeed identified himself as Zachery Lockwood.

If that was the case, then someone had been impersonating Zachery Lockwood.

The doctor felt something was amiss, so he looked through the records. He then discovered that the file for the child who called himself Zachery Lockwood and had done a maternity test with Miss Lockwood was identical to Christian Sloan’s file!

The doctor wasn’t an idiot. It only took a moment’s thought to understand. There was only one explanation for this situation—

Christian Sloan and Estelle Lockwood were biological mother and son!

He naturally had to inform her of this, so he rushed over. The moment he arrived, he saw Christian hugging Estelle and being affectionate.

The doctor’s eyes lit up with understanding. He said with a relieved smile, "Miss Lockwood, so you already knew. No wonder, no wonder."

’No wonder she’s been taking such good care of Young Mr. Sloan!’

Everything clicked into place in Estelle’s mind. ’So Christian knew all along, ever since then.’

She couldn’t quite put a name to the emotion welling up inside her. Christian was nestled sweetly in her arms, filling her embrace as if he were filling the void left by the past five years.

Nathaniel’s gaze was full of tenderness. He remained silent, not wanting to disturb their moment.

...

「Elsewhere.」

After Nathaniel led Estelle away by the hand, an awkward atmosphere immediately descended upon the corridor.

Noelle Lockwood had collapsed to the floor, her face pale and her mind a complete blank.

’Nathaniel said it. He actually said it...’

’AHHHHHH!’

’What is everyone going to think of me?!’

"That explains it. How could a real mother be so cruel to her own son? To say something like, ’Don’t bother me unless he’s dead,’ even when he’s sick!"

"But Noelle Lockwood was clearly awful to Young Mr. Sloan. Why didn’t the Sloan Family ever explain things? They just let her act so high and mighty for so long!"

"I’ve got it..." someone suddenly exclaimed in realization.

"It must be Laura Jennings! She couldn’t bear to expose her. After all, she always treated Noelle Lockwood like her own daughter-in-law!"

"That’s very possible!"

"Is Laura Jennings insane? To treat her own grandson like that."

"And Noelle Lockwood steals things! Seven hundred million! How did she have the nerve?"

"Laura Jennings embezzled company funds, and Noelle Lockwood steals. Aren’t those two the ones who are more like a real mother and daughter?"

Noelle Lockwood covered her ears, an icy chill seeping through her body as if she’d been plunged into a freezing cavern.

’She had always been the center of attention, adored by all. But now, she was being openly scorned by this group of nobodies!’

’I... I just stole a few things, and I returned them later! As for Laura Jennings, she embezzled from the Sloan Family’s company funds, but the Sloans never even made a fuss about it. That matter was over and done with. Why did Nathaniel have to bring it up again? Why!’

’What do I do now?’ Noelle couldn’t even begin to imagine what would happen to her once news of this got out.

Rose Lowell, frantic with anger and anxiety, lashed out with a threat. "All of you, shut your mouths! No one is to breathe a word of what happened today, or you’ll face the consequences!"

"Going against Noelle means you’re going against the Lockwood Family and the Sloan Family! If you’re not afraid to die, then feel free to spread this around!"

The onlookers were indignant, but they could only grit their teeth in silence.

But she was right. Who would dare to offend such prominent families?

...

Nathaniel Sloan and Estelle Lockwood took Christian back to Imperial Crest.

She was still in a bit of a daze on the way back.

’Christian is my son... The son I lost five years ago.’

’So he didn’t die five years ago.’

Christian was alive, and the child Noelle had been carrying wasn’t Nathaniel’s. It felt as if the knot of anguish in Estelle’s heart had been untied, yet at the same time, it seemed to have tightened.

’If Nathaniel doesn’t love Noelle, if he never cheated on me, if he never gave up on my child...’

’Then why were we separated for five years?’

’If it had all been Nathaniel’s fault, she could still seek revenge, vent all her anger on him.’

’But now... from whom could she demand repayment for five years of being lost and alone?’

Christian quietly went back upstairs, giving them some space.

For a moment, the entire living room fell silent.

There was no one else in Imperial Crest. Nathaniel’s gaze rested gently on her face. "Why are you so quiet?"

Estelle’s dark eyes were filled with confusion, veiled in a mist that, at a glance, made it seem as if she were holding back tears.

Nathaniel’s heart instantly tightened.

The Estelle of five years ago had a soft gaze, one filled with the most innocent and pure love.

The Estelle of today had a determined gaze, full of the resilience that comes from weathering countless storms.

But never like this—lost, and filled with an unspeakable sorrow.

It was as if she had been searching for an answer, a reason to keep going, for the last five years, only to discover... that she had been wrong from the very beginning.

Nathaniel slowly lowered his gaze. "Estelle Lockwood, look at me."

Estelle dazedly looked up.

She had just been wondering, ’Whose fault was it?’

Nathaniel answered her unspoken question. "It wasn’t your fault."

For a moment, Estelle didn’t understand.

Nathaniel looked into her eyes. "First, it was the Lockwood Family’s fault. They lost you, and when they found you, they refused to treat you well."

"Then, it was Noelle Lockwood’s fault. She was jealous and plotted against you, causing you to suffer a great deal."

At this, Nathaniel slowly closed his eyes for a moment.

"But ultimately, it was my fault."

Estelle froze. A man like Nathaniel Sloan, practically born a prince and now a powerful leader in absolute control, actually knelt on one knee and gently said it was his fault.

Estelle asked instinctively, "What did you do wrong?"

At first, her question sounded like she was trying to pick a fight.

But Nathaniel just gave a faint smile, one that seemed meant to comfort her, or perhaps simply to soothe her.

"I’ve made far too many mistakes. Why don’t you let me tell you about them slowly?"

Estelle pressed her lips together tightly.

She didn’t know how to face Nathaniel right now. "I don’t want to hear it."

Nathaniel paused for a moment. "Then, Miss Lockwood, could you give me a chance?"

Estelle asked, confused, "What kind of chance?"

Nathaniel smiled softly. "A chance for me to make amends."